5 New Mystery Games to Play - November 2025
Don't overthink it - just make a good game!
Each month, I look at the best new mystery game releases to see if there are any important lessons that aspiring developers can learn from them.
Most of the games in today’s article borrow heavily from previous games or subgenres, but those are actually massive strengths. When you have an audience that is really starving for a certain kind of game, there’s no need to overthink the game itself. You just need to make sure that your execution is highly polished and flawless.
On the other hand, some other games this month took the opposite approach: massive innovation, whether it’s blending two genres that normally don’t go together, or subverting genre expectations through a story nobody has seen before.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter which strategy you decide to take — both are valid pathways to success, as these mystery games clearly show!
Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved
A woman vanishes without a trace on a cross-country train. The catch? Nobody on board remembers her ever existing in the first place - nobody, except for you. Uncover the story in this mystery adventure game!
First up is Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved. I played the demo for this game in February, and was absolutely blown away by the artwork and overall presentation of the story.
This game is heavily inspired by the mystery adventure genre, which utilizes a command-select menu system to take actions that interact with the world in various ways.
Mystery adventures were some of the first mystery video games ever created, and the developer’s deep understanding of what makes this retro genre so fun clearly shows in its faithful design.
In addition to Steam, the game is also available both in English and Japanese on Nintendo Switch. You can also learn more about the game’s development and design decisions by watching my interview with its developer from earlier this year.
Penelope Pendrick and the Art of Deceit
Pick up your magnifying glass as writer-turned-detective Penelope Pendrick in this first-person point and click mystery adventure! Three people have suddenly vanished from the sleepy town of Carlisle. Follow the clues, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles to end this case - before it ends you.
Next up is Penelope Pendrick and the Art of Deceit. One look at its Steam page instantly made me realize this was inspired by the Nancy Drew point-and-click adventure games (which I really loved playing when I was a kid in school).
But this game clearly has its own identity and legitimate mystery. Steam reviews indicate it successfully captured fans of Nancy Drew that were dissatisfied with recent entries in the series. And it shows that indies can absolutely compete with long-established franchises.
A Case of Fraud
A short non-linear detective adventure where every clue is hidden in plain sight. Carefully read and cross-reference documents to unravel a CEO’s disappearance and expose a case of fraud.
A Case of Fraud has a similar success story. This one of the games I played on stream during the recent Steam Next Fest, and I had a lot of fun with it. The gameplay is clearly inspired by The Roottrees are Dead, as you must identify characters by searching through various documents, but with an emphasis on the specific crime of fraud.
Don’t underestimate the power of just making a good game in an established genre, whether it’s long-forgotten or inspired by a recent hit. Don’t overthink things too much and just focus on making a great mystery game for an an audience hungry for more!
Asbury Pines
A grisly mystery in a small town unfolds across centuries through the stories of its residents. Orchestrate their work, grow resources, upgrade skills, and create automated production loops between past and future eras. All to uncover a sprawling secret embedded in the flow of time.
By contrast, Asbury Pines takes an innovative approach, combining mystery-solving with idle gameplay. I’ve really wanted to see mystery games dive more into resource management, and from what I’ve seen so far, this game is a big step in that direction.
You advance the story by completing tasks and levelling up characters. Some characters are better suited to certain tasks, and some tasks require resources from other tasks, so the gameplay revolves around efficiently building a “story-unlocking engine.” The unfolding murder mystery spans multiple time periods that reveal secrets about the town and the people that live within it.
Again, don’t overthink it — mystery is popular, idle games are popular, and when you combine the two (and execute well!) you end up an unforgettable experience.
Beyond R: Rule Ripper
An evolving death game set in a bar, where getting to know its players is the only way out. Each person hides one of the game’s rules. Discover them through their pasts, tastes, and finding hidden clues, then face them in an all-out discussion. Only three can survive, unless you fight back.
Last but not least, I also played Beyond R: Rule Ripper on livestream for a few hours during the recent Steam Next Fest, and I genuinely enjoyed it, especially the characters who all have memorable designs and personalities. All of them are trapped in a “death game” where each death effectively changes the rules of the game.
Even as a visual novel with limited gameplay, the story’s innovative premise in the popular death game genre will make anyone want to play through and see how the mystery unfolds.
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, we were not paid to promote any of the above games. Each game was selected based on its relevance to our readers, considering its release date, number of positive reviews, and store page description. We are not responsible for any issues arising from attempting to purchase, download, or play any game.
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